The background description provided herein is for the purpose of generally presenting the context of the disclosure. Unless otherwise indicated herein, the materials described in this section are not prior art to the claims in this application and are not admitted to be prior art by inclusion in this section.
Computer security, also known as cyber security, communication security, information security, may refer to the protection of computer systems including the hardware, software, or information, from disruption or misdirection of the services they provide. The computer security field is of growing importance due to the increasing reliance on computer systems and the Internet, wireless networks, and the growth of “smart” devices, including devices within transportation vehicles, smartphones, televisions, tiny devices as part of the Internet of Things, and many more other devices.
A vehicle may include many mechanical and electronic subsystems, e.g., embedded electronics. Electronic control units (ECUs) may be used in vehicles to achieve more flexibility, e.g., to perform upgrades, adjustments, and customizations, as well as to deliver more complex features, e.g. advanced driving assistance. Multiple ECUs may communicate through in-vehicle networks, e.g., controller area network (CAN) buses. Communication buses such as CAN buses may utilize broadcast protocols without much security. Traditional cryptographic techniques may not be directly applicable to communication buses like CAN buses to provide improved information security. For instance, there may be no existing way of authenticating an entity that sends messages over a bus like a CAN bus. Without the authentication, communications on a bus like a CAN bus may be subject to security attacks, e.g., message spoofing. Hence, protection of buses like CAN buses may be desired to ensure proper security of the in-vehicle network and consequently the safety of its passengers.